Hood latch



April 20, 1926. 1,581,485

C. B. GILMORE HOOD LATCH Filed Feb. 27. 1925 Patented Apr. 20, A

UNITED ,STATES PATENT OFFICE;

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' Application filed. February a7, 1025; serial m. 11,930.

C and the lower end of the cylinder D and To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,- CHARLES -Bi GI'IMQRE,

' a citizen of the United States, residing 'at' Chicago, -in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Hood Latches, of I A which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a fastening device, and particularly to a device intended for use as an automobile hood latch. Oneobject of the invention is to provide a device which will be used as a hood latch and which, while serving to hold the hood down, and closed, will also force the hood inwardly against its abutment, and will thus hold the hood against rattling. Another objectis to P provide a hood latch which operates mdependently of variations in position of the hood. Other ob'ects'will appearfrom time to time throug out the specification and claims.

My invention is illustrated more-or. less diagrammatically in the ac'com 'ianying drawings wherein- Fi ure 1 is a side elevation of my latch, showing it in position on the automobile;

Figure 2 is a front vlew of my latch, in

position and illustrating various positions which it may assume;

Figure 3 is a vertical section through my latch; e

Figure 4 is a horizontal section along the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Like parts are designated by like charac-.

tors-throughout.

A is a portion of an automobile frame. To. it is fastened an upstanding rib or rim or abutment member: A, against which abuts the lower edge B 'bfthe hood cover, when the hood is clpsed. Faste'ned to the hood B is .a locking member 18 terminating in a conic cam section B. Mounted above the cam B on the locking member is the hook element B which terminates in an inwardly turned finger or flange B, the hook lying in a enerally horizontal plane.

is a shaft or pin terminating with a member C adapted to be seated in and to be contained by the socket member C' secured to the frame A. The upper end of the pin C is necked as at- C to engage 'a washer or collar C.

Surrounding the pin or shaft C is the enclosing cylinder D. D is a spiral spring adapted to be compressed between the collar determined by the position of the ative device that nevertheless many changes may be made in the size, shape, number, proportion and disposition of parts without dearting from the hit of myu'nvention. I therefore wish my esc'ription and-drawings to be taken as in a broad sense illustrative; rather than as limiting me to -my specific showing.

The use and operation ofmy invention are as follows: u v

When the hood is to be opened, the latch handle is raised and-the locking cam portion D is lifted'from contactwith the cam B and may be rotated to disengage it from the hook B. The whole latch may then be swung backfreely in any direction, and the hood may be raised. When the latch is again to be used, the hood is closed, the

handle rtion D is raised, and with it the entire atch, and the loop formed by the aperture D is ain en ed with the hook B. When t e hand e is released, the cam D" resses upon the o ilposed inclinedface 0 the cam B, and t hood both downwardly and inwardly','thus at the same time hold-mg it securely closed and preventing its rattling. The downward ress'ure of the sprin D thrusting the cam D downwardly an outwardly along-the cam surface B, locks the loop D securely against the hook B, which prevents outward movement of the latch'away from the hood. The lughor finger B, pirojecting inwardl from t e hook B ma es 1t impossible or the latch to work laterally along the hook and escape from it..,

Thepin C, being mounted on a ball and socket or. universal joint on theframe A, does not constrain the latch to any particular position, and the position of the latch is cam B and the hook B. The result is a peculiarly flexible and adaptable latch which operates rusts the independent of changes in the relative posi- The only limit is the size of the aperture D which of course may be varied to suitthe conditions or adjustment required. Changes in the location of the cam B may result from the bending or other misshaping of the hood B after the latch is installed, or may result from changing the position of the .cam itself on the hood.

I The adaptability of the latch to longitudinal movement of the hood is illustrated in Figure 2. The hook B is roughly concentric with the conicity of the flange B and as the hood.B is moved to the right or to the left the latch automatically adjusts itself to change in position such as are shown in .Figure 2.

Figure 3 illustrates diagrammatically the adaptability of the latch to outward move-- ment of the hood B, although obviously a hood conformation such as shownin Figure 3 would not be used in practice.

Obviously the amount of variation in position of the hood relative to the pin C as shown by the drawings herein is not like ly to exist in practice. The aperture 1) is ofcourse made of such length as to permit any usual vertical adjustment and the socket members C and C are so proportioned as to permit sufiicient movement of the pin C to permit any degree of longitudinal or transverse movement of the hood B as is likely to take place in practice. The

variations in position herein shown are far greater than are likely to occur in the practical operation of any automobile.

Thus I have invented a peculiarly effective and efficient type of automobile hood latch which is adaptable to a wide range of adjustments, to changes in location of the se- K curing means on the hood, and tochanges in the dimensions of the hood itself, when bent or' twisted, without loss of efliciency. While always exerting both downward and inward pressure along and against the hood it permits vertical, longitudinal or I transverse -movement of the hood without binding and without losing its grip on the hood.

I claim:

1. In combination with a closure and a latch support, a latch for said closure, mounted upon said support, a hook element mounted on said closure, and a cam element mounted therebeneath on said closure, said latch includin a member adapted to eng age said hook, and

a cam element in opposition to said cam upon said closure and means for yieldingly moving said latch downwardly along said support.

2. In combination with a closure and a latch support, a latch for said closure mounted upon said support, a cam element mounted on said closure, and a cam elementon said latch, in opposition to said cam upon said closure, opposed, interlocking members on hood and latch, adapted to hold said latchagainst movement laterally away from said closure, and means for yieldingly moving said latch downwardlyalong said support.

3. In combination with a closure and a latch support, a latch for said closure mounted upon said support, opposed cam members upon said latch and closure adapted in response to downward movement of the latch to direct both a downward and an inward pressure against said closure, a member mounted on said closure and adapted to engage said latch and to prevent outward movement of the latch away from the closure, while ermitting generally vertical movement of said latch in relation to said closure, and means for yieldingly moving said latch downwardly along said support. 4:. In combination with a closure and an abutment therefor, a latch support adjacent said abutment, mounted for universal movement, a latch member slidably mounted on said support, yielding means adapted normally to thrust it downwardly there along, and a cam connection between said latch member and said closure ada ted to thrust said closure downwardly and lnwardly in'response to downward movement of said latch member and means, for preventing lateral movement of said latch away from the hoodduring its operative engagement with the cam.

5. In a combination with. a closure and an abutment therefor, a latch support adjacent said abutment, mounted for umversal movellO ment, a latch member slidabl mounted on saidsupport, yielding means a apted normalto thrust it downwardly therealong, a

abutment therefor, a latch support adjacent said abutment, mountedfor universal movement, a latch membershdably mounted on said sup ort, yielding means adapted normally to "t rust it downwardly therealong, a downwardly and outwardly inclined 4 cam'member'upon closure and :1 lug on said latch adapted to engage it, a hook element mounted on said. closure and above said cam and adapted to engage said latch.

7. In combination with a closure and an abutment therefor, alatch support mounted adjacent said abutment, a latch member slidably mounted upon said support, yielding means adapted normally to thrust it downwardly therealong, a downwardly and outwardly inclined, upwardly concave, conic cam mounted -on said closure and a lu mounted on said latch member and adapted to engage said cam.

8. In combination with a closure and an,

movement outwardly from said hood when 1t abutment therefor, a latch support mounted adjacent said abutment, a latch member slidably mounted upon said support, yielding means adapted normally to thrust it downwardly therealong, a downwardly and outwardly inclined, upwardly concave, conic cam mounted on said closure, a lug mounted on said latch member and adapted to engage said cam, and a hook element above said cam positioned substantially on the axis of such cone and adapted to engage said latch.

9. In a combination with a closure and an abutment therefor, a latch support adjacent said abutment, mounted for universal movement, a latch member slidably mounted on said support, yielding means adapted normally to thrust it downwardly therealong, a downwardly and outwardly inclined cam member upon said closure and a lug on said latch aida ted to engage it, said lug bein perforate a hook element mounted on sai closure and above said cam and adapted to penetrate said aperture, and a sto member at the outer end of said hook adapted to prevent the escape of said lug from said hook.

I 10. In combination with aclosure and an abutment therefor, a latch support adjacent said abutment, a ball and socket mounted therefor, a latch member slidabl mounted on said support, yielding means a apted normally to thrust it downwardly therealon and a cam connection between said latc member and'said closure adapted todirect a thrust against said closure both downwardly and inwardly, in response to downward movement of said latch member, and means mounted on the hood, for limiting the movement of the latch away from the hood.

11. In combinationwith an automobile, a hood, a latch member mounted adjacent said hood, and a universal connection therefor, means on said latch for exerting pressure against said hood, and additional means for holding said latch member against swinging movement outwardly from said hood when it is in latching engagement.

12. In combination with an automobile, a-

hood, a latch member mounted adjacent said hood, and a universal connection therefor, means on said latch for exerting pressure against said hood, and additional means for holding said latch member against swingwhen it is in latching engagement, while permitting swinging movement of said latch member in a plane parallel to the planeof said hood.

13. In combination with an automobile, a hood, a latch member mounted'adjacent said hood, and a universal connection therefor, means on said latch for exerting pressure against said hood, and additional means for holding said latch member against swinging is in latching engagement, while permitting generally .vertical movement of said latch member.

14. In combination with an automobile, a hood, a latch member mounted adjacent said hood, a universal connection therefor, means for holding said latch member against swinging movement outwardly from said hood when it is in latching engagement, and

a cam connection between said latch and said wardly and inwardly against said hood, in response to downward movement of said latch, independently of movement of said hood in any direction, after the latch is secured.

15. In combination with a closure and a latch for said closure, a rigid retaining member mounted on said closure and adapted to maintain a vertically slidable connection with said latch, when it is in a latched position, and to prevent lateral movement of the latch away from said closure.

16. In combination with a closure and a latch for said closure, andyielding means for holding said latch in a vertically oscillatory engagement with said closure, a stop member mounted on said closure, and ada ted to engage said latch and limit relative movement of latch and closure when the latch is in operative position.

17. In combination with a closure and a latch for said closure, a rigid retaining member mounted on said closure and adapted to hood adapted to direct pressure both downmaintain a slidable connection with said latch, when it is in latch position, and to prevent lateral movement of the latch away from said closure.

18. In combination with a closure and a latch for said closure, and yielding means for holding said latch in engagement with said closure, a stop member mounted on said closure, and adapted .to engage said latch and limit relative movement of latch and closure when the latch is in operative position.

19. In combination with a closure and a latch support, a, latch for said closure, mounted upon said support, a hook element mounted on said closure, and a downwardly and outwardly inclined cam element mounted therebeneath on said closure, said latch including a'member adapted to engage said hook, and a cam element in opposition to' said cam upon said closure, an means for yieldingly moving said latchdownwardly along said support.

20. In combination with a closure and a latch support, a latch for said closure mounted upon said support, a downwardly and outwardly inclined cam element mounted on said closure, and a cam element on said latch, in opposition to said cam upon said closure, opposed, interlocking members on hood and latch, adapted to hold said latch against movement laterally away fromsaid closure, and means for yieldingly moving said latch 15 downwardly along said support.

hood, a latch member mounted adjacent said hood, means for holding said latch member against swingin movement outwardly" from said hood when it is in latching engagement, comprising a lug on said latch and a member on said hood adapted to engage said In and a cam'connection between said latch an said hood adapted to direct pressure both downwardly and inwardly against said hood, in response to downward movement of said latch.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 10th day of February,

CHARLES B. GILMORE. 

